Finger ring guard



Dec- 1951 L. POLLARD ETAL FINGER RING GUARD Filed March 18, 1949 5 m TWO! 5 mwm m V mJ vw. N H ,A v

Patented Dec. 25, 1951 FINGER RING GUARD Lloyd F. Pollard, Leonia, N. J and Samuel Jacobson, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1949, Serial No. 82,064

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a finger ring, and more particularly to a guard for a finger ring whereby the ring is held securely upon the wearers finger. The invention is especially useful in making it possible to wear a ring upon a finger smaller than that for which it is intended, to which use, however, it is not restricted.

Finger rings are constructed in standard sizes, and the ring size selected by the wearer is generally that which will just permit the ring to pass the second knuckle of the finger upon which the ring is to be worn. Where this knuckle is large compared to the size of the finger, the weight of the stone or crown of the iing may turn the ring undesirably about the finger. Furthermore, where loaned rings of large size are worn, or where a ring of large size is purchased in anticipation of increase in the wearers weight, there is actual danger of losing the ring. In such cases it is desirable to attach a finger ring guard to the ring, either to prevent the latter from turning upon the finger or to prevent loss of the ring.

In the past finger ring guards have generally been of two classes. One class of guard embodies a resilient band of metal positioned within the ring and fastened thereto by unitary lugs bent about the ring adjacent the ends of the guard. Such lugs are visible when the guard is worn and detract from the appearance of the ring. The second class of ring guard avoids the unsightliness of the first through being soldered centrally within the ring. Such an arrangement, however, entails an undesirable degree of permanence.

We have now found it possible. to provide a ring guard which may be detachably secured centrally within the ring, and which avoids the unsightliness of the first class of finger ring guard referred to above and also the permanence of the second class. According to the invention, gripping means is disposed centrally of a U-shaped finger ring guard for detachably securing the guard at its mid-point to the ring.

One form of the invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a finger ring to which a guard constructed and arranged according to the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a broken section of the ring guard illustrated in Fig. 1 and the necessary associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view showing the elements illustrated in Fig. 2 in position for clamping the guard to the ring, the elements being of modified form; U

Fig. 4 is a broken perspective view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in position to release the guard from the ring;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the same ring guard to a ring which is shown in broken perspective;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 parts in different position;

Fig. 7 is a broken mid-section through the ring and guard illustrating the guard-securing parts in open position; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the guard-securing parts in position attaching the guard to the ring.

In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings there is shown a ring Ill to which is attached a finger ring guard H constructed and arranged according to the invention. The ring I 0 here illustrated is one having a heavy crown and stone therein.

The finger ring guard I I here shown comprises a U-shaped member I2, which is preferably made of resilient metal and is adapted to fit within the ring In in order to bear against the finger of the wearer and prevent the ring from turning upon the finger or slipping from the finger. The U- shaped member l2 may be bowed as at [3, l3 adjacent its ends so that it makes resilient contact with the finger on either side of its fleshy underpart and thereby prevents turning of the ring on the finger. Thus by making contact with the showing the finger and effectively reducing the size of the ring, the guard H prevents the ring from slipping from the finger and also prevents it from turning on the finger.

In order to retain the finger ring guard ll within the ring Ill, gripping means M is disposed centrally of the U-shaped member 12. The gripping means is provided in a form which detachably secures the U-shaped member I2 centrally of the ring l0. See Fig. 1.

The gripping means I4 here illustrated comprises a clamping element l5 which is fixed to the U-shaped member I2 substantially at its midpoint. The clamping element I5 is preferably formed unitarily with the U-shaped member and is bent outwardly therefrom and formed to engage one circumferential edge of the ring it. A second clamping element I6 is separately formed and is positioned in slidable relation with respect to the clamping element l5. The second element is positioned oppositely to the first clamping element [5 in order to engage the circumferential edge of the ring In opposite to that engaged by the first-named clamping element IS. The second or separate clamping element I6 is so related 3 V to the first-named clamping element 55 that sliding of the former longitudinally of the U- shaped member l2 in one direction will clamp the guard to the ring between the two clamping elements, and movement of the second clamping elementrin the opposite direction will unclamp the ring. The construction which makes this action possible will now be explained.

A pin ll is fixed in the U-shaped member 12 substantially centrally thereof, and extends out--, w wardly therefrom through a slot I3 in the sepa The pin ll has a necked-down end H! which is inserted ina central rate clamping element [5.

hole 20 inthe U-shaped member 52, and is peened at its outer end to fix the pin to the member. At its other end, the pin I! has a head 2| which is in contact with the outer surface of the separate clamping element It to hold the latter in contact with the U-shaped member. See Figs. 2, 3 and l.

Thus, the second or separate clamping element It is slidable with respect to the first-named or fixed clamping element, being held against theLouter surface of the U-shaped member by the pin I '5' ex.

tending through the slot iii.

The slot H3 in the separate clamping element it extends longitudinally of the element and is inclined transversely thereto. rate clamping element [6 is moved longitudinally of the U-shaped member I2, it moves either toward or away from the fixed clamping element i5 because of the transverse inclination of the slot.

In order to secure the finger ring guard l l to 'a ring, the gripping means I4 is first opened. To this end the separate clamping element It is moved to slide longitudinally of the U-shaped member 52 in the direction which moves the former away from the fixed clamping element I5. See Figs. 4, 5, 6 and '7. With the gripping means l4 thus opened, the guard i! is centered inside of the ring, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Thereupon the separate clamping element is oppositely moved longitudinally of the U-shaped member, and contact of the slot 13 therein with the pin H draws the separate clamping element toward the fixed clamping element until the ring is clamped between them. See Figs. 3 and 8.

ferred to augment this frictional eifect by providing a serrated edge 22' in the slot l8 opposite the clamping face of the separate clamping element NS, for contact with the pin il. Thus the pin successively enters the serrations in the slot as the separate clamping element ismoved'into ring-engaging position; and when the gripping means It firmly engages the ring It the resiliency of the material acts to maintain the pin in one of the'serrations of the edge 22 and to hold the separate clamping elements firmly in position.

Instead of relying entirely upon friction between the elements of the gripping means I 4 and upon friction between these elements and the ring to prevent separation of the clamping means, and instead of relying upon such friction'and the ser- "rations 22 to hold the clamping means in position,

Thus, as the sepa- 4 additional means may be provided for this purpose. It may therefore prove of advantage to provide inwardly extending ribs 23 upon the ring engaging surfaces of the clamping elements I5 and [6. Such ribs are illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It will be observed that the ribs 23 extend transversely of the clampingsurfaces of the clamping elements and thus extend transversely of the circumferential edges of the ring when gripped thereby. The ribs 23 thus increase the frictional contact of the clamping elements upon the circumferential edges of the ring and provide additional resistance to separation of the clamping elements once they have been moved into gripping position;

An important feature of the described gripping means is that it permits the finger ring guard I I to be applied to rings of different sizes. Clearly the gripping means may accommodate itself to a ring of smaller band width by sliding the separate clamping element a greater distance toward clamping position along the U-shaped member and thus effectively moving the pin i! further along the slot 18. Inuapplying the gripping means to a ring of greater band width, the separate clamping element is moved a sho'rter dis tance longitudinally of the U-shaped member to- V wardclamping position. In either case the ring is firmly clamped by the gripping means l4.

From the foregoing, it will be'apparentthat the invention provides a simple and eifective ring guard which'may be detachably secured within rings of different sizes and which avoids the usual unsightliness' of kn wn clamping means'together with undesirable permanence of attachment. Furthermore, the construction of the guard is such that it may be applied and secured to the ring after the ring is in place uponthe wearers finger. v

The form of the invention here described and illustrated is presented merely by way of example. Other forms and embodiments of the invention,

' coming within the proper scope of the appended claims, will of course suggest themselves to those interested in such" problems.

We claim: 1'

1. A finger ring guard comprising a resilient U-shaped member adapted to fit within a ring, said member having substantially at the midpoint of one of its longitudinal edges a unitary clamping element for engaging onecircumferential edge of the ring; a separate'clamping ele ment for engaging the opposite circumferential edge of the ring, said separate clamping element having a face slidable along the outer surface of said U-shaped member'and having a longitudinal transversely inclinedv slot therein; and a pin fixed in said U-shaped member'substantially centrally'thereof and extending outwardly therefrom through the slot in said separate clamping element, said pin having a head thereon beyond said separate clamping element for holding the'latter closely adjacent tosaid'U- shaped member; whereby movement of said separate clamping element longitudinally of said U-shaped-member in one direction will clamp the ring to the guard between the unitary clamping element thereon andsaid separate clamping element and movement of said separateclamping member in the opposite direction'willun clamp the ring.

2. A finger ring guard comprising'a resilient U-shaped member adapted to fit within a ring, said member having substantially at the midpoint of one of its longitudinal. edges a unitary clamping element for engaging one circumferential edge of the ring; a separate clamping element for engaging the opposite circumferential edge of the ring, said separate clamping element having a face slidable along the outer surface of said U-shaped member and having a longitudinal transversely inclined slot therein formed with a serrated longitudinal edge opposite its clamping face; and a pin fixed in said U-shaped member substantially centrally thereof and ex tendin outwardly therefrom through the slot in said separate clamping element, said pin having a head thereon beyond said separate clamping element for holding the latter closely adjacent to said U-shaped member; whereby movement of said separate clamping element longitudinally of said U-shaped member in one direction will clamp the ring to the guard between the unitary clamping element thereon and said separate clamping element and movement of said separate clamping member in the opposite direction will unclamp the ring.

LLOYD F. POLLARD. SAMUEL JACOBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,115,764 Apples Nov. 3, 1914 1,481,297 McKellar Jan. 22, 1924 1,619,853 Correa Mar. 8, 1927 

